distressed 1 of 2

Definition of distressednext

distressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of distress

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distressed
Adjective
The two-bedroom’s open-layout great room includes distressed oak floors, board-and-batten wall treatments, two Caesarstone waterfall islands, roofline windows, and a walk-in pantry behind sliding steel doors. The Week Us, TheWeek, 9 Mar. 2026 Its soft and lightweight material is great for dinner or dancing, and the indigo wash is a little more elevated than stone or distressed. Alexandra Pereira, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
Ukrainian drone operators were reportedly distressed at having to kill horses, but have apparently adopted new tactics. David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026 For some with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), they may be distressed by the prospect of germs or how foods are prepared. Dr. Ellen S. Rome, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressed
Adjective
  • The Van Gogh attribution, for instance, was subsequently matched by more conventional research, including technical analyses and studies of the artist’s letters (museum experts concluded that the portrait’s unusually dampened colors simply reflected Van Gogh’s troubled mental state at the time).
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Her panel’s core thesis is that historically, in troubled times, people rewrite the rules, build better systems and make things better.
    Ramon Ramirez, Austin American Statesman, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • El Teniente's general manager, Claudio Sougarret, recently said production will be depressed for the next five years as a result of the accident.
    Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Minnelli writes that Garland would remain in bed for days, depressed and heavily drugged.
    Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But though an -itis can sound intense, there’s still no reason to be alarmed (or, again, to rub your eyes).
    Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Rinehart’s comments alarmed some AP journalists.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Dickinson appeared somewhere between perturbed and seething.
    Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The hornets are extremely aggressive when the nest is disturbed.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Danita Hoskin, president of the Crown Hill Neighborhood Association, said that she was disturbed to learn recently that her neighborhood's life expectancy is more than 15 years shorter than for those who live north of 38th Street, according to the Polis Center at Indiana University Indianapolis.
    Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • He was heard yelling in an agitated manner, and officers saw Lindner with a revolver in his hand.
    Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Breathing exercises Breathing slowly and evenly can help slow an elevated heart rate, and bring a sense of calm to an agitated state of mind—plus, pausing to practice slow, deep breaths helps kids connect to, and understand, bigger emotions.
    Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In his monologue, Gosling began going through the motions of singing a song about Earth (with a planetary model hanging down as a visual) before getting distracted by pop star Harry Styles in the front row.
    Omar L. Gallaga, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
  • Trump successfully distracted some MAGA folks from the Epstein case and the possibility that someone who accused him of foul play might be legit.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Drive at a reduced speed during wet weather.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The act requires that savings from reduced incarceration be directed toward victim services, community corrections and programs that support community reintegration for people who’ve been released from prison.
    Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 10 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressed. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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